Patrolman Brown was shot and killed after stopping a suspicious vehicle in Lee County. The driver of the vehicle had just shot and killed Trooper W. L. Reese after being stopped in Richmond County for speeding. The vehicle, later found to be stolen, was being driven by a New York state mental hospital escapee. The escapee was en route to Mississippi to attempt to break his brother out of death row.
Three weeks later the suspect was captured in Bakersfield, California. Since his escape a month earlier, it was discovered that he had been involved in numerous burglaries in Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina. He was convicted of two counts of first degree murder and sentenced to two life sentences on March 19, 1958. The suspect who turned 88 in 2010 has repeatedly been denied parole and remains in prison.
In 2005 the North Carolina Department of Transportation named a bridge on US Highway 1 in Lee County in memory of Patrolman Brown.
Related Line of Duty Deaths Patrolman Wister Lee Reece
North Carolina Highway Patrol, NC
EOW: Tuesday, November 5, 1957
James Thomas Brown was the son of Lee Columbus Brown and Nellie Blye Lackey. He married Artie Jane Bumgardner. Their children are: (1) Carole Brown wife of Thomas Avery Stafford Sr; (2) Rebecca Claire Brown wife of Dwayne Spitzer; (3) James Thomas Brown Jr husband of Elizabeth Robertson; and (4) Patricia Jane Brown wife of James Bernard Goff. Thanks for posting his cemetery information. And thanks for what you are doing for the North Carolina Highway Patrol veterans.
Three weeks later the suspect was captured in Bakersfield, California. Since his escape a month earlier, it was discovered that he had been involved in numerous burglaries in Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina. He was convicted of two counts of first degree murder and sentenced to two life sentences on March 19, 1958. The suspect who turned 88 in 2010 has repeatedly been denied parole and remains in prison.
In 2005 the North Carolina Department of Transportation named a bridge on US Highway 1 in Lee County in memory of Patrolman Brown.
Related Line of Duty Deaths Patrolman Wister Lee Reece
North Carolina Highway Patrol, NC
EOW: Tuesday, November 5, 1957
James Thomas Brown was the son of Lee Columbus Brown and Nellie Blye Lackey. He married Artie Jane Bumgardner. Their children are: (1) Carole Brown wife of Thomas Avery Stafford Sr; (2) Rebecca Claire Brown wife of Dwayne Spitzer; (3) James Thomas Brown Jr husband of Elizabeth Robertson; and (4) Patricia Jane Brown wife of James Bernard Goff. Thanks for posting his cemetery information. And thanks for what you are doing for the North Carolina Highway Patrol veterans.
Patrolman Brown was shot and killed after stopping a suspicious vehicle in Lee County. The driver of the vehicle had just shot and killed Trooper W. L. Reese after being stopped in Richmond County for speeding. The vehicle, later found to be stolen, was being driven by a New York state mental hospital escapee. The escapee was en route to Mississippi to attempt to break his brother out of death row.
Three weeks later the suspect was captured in Bakersfield, California. Since his escape a month earlier, it was discovered that he had been involved in numerous burglaries in Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina. He was convicted of two counts of first degree murder and sentenced to two life sentences on March 19, 1958. The suspect who turned 88 in 2010 has repeatedly been denied parole and remains in prison.
In 2005 the North Carolina Department of Transportation named a bridge on US Highway 1 in Lee County in memory of Patrolman Brown.
Related Line of Duty Deaths Patrolman Wister Lee Reece
North Carolina Highway Patrol, NC
EOW: Tuesday, November 5, 1957
James Thomas Brown was the son of Lee Columbus Brown and Nellie Blye Lackey. He married Artie Jane Bumgardner. Their children are: (1) Carole Brown wife of Thomas Avery Stafford Sr; (2) Rebecca Claire Brown wife of Dwayne Spitzer; (3) James Thomas Brown Jr husband of Elizabeth Robertson; and (4) Patricia Jane Brown wife of James Bernard Goff. Thanks for posting his cemetery information. And thanks for what you are doing for the North Carolina Highway Patrol veterans.
Three weeks later the suspect was captured in Bakersfield, California. Since his escape a month earlier, it was discovered that he had been involved in numerous burglaries in Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina. He was convicted of two counts of first degree murder and sentenced to two life sentences on March 19, 1958. The suspect who turned 88 in 2010 has repeatedly been denied parole and remains in prison.
In 2005 the North Carolina Department of Transportation named a bridge on US Highway 1 in Lee County in memory of Patrolman Brown.
Related Line of Duty Deaths Patrolman Wister Lee Reece
North Carolina Highway Patrol, NC
EOW: Tuesday, November 5, 1957
James Thomas Brown was the son of Lee Columbus Brown and Nellie Blye Lackey. He married Artie Jane Bumgardner. Their children are: (1) Carole Brown wife of Thomas Avery Stafford Sr; (2) Rebecca Claire Brown wife of Dwayne Spitzer; (3) James Thomas Brown Jr husband of Elizabeth Robertson; and (4) Patricia Jane Brown wife of James Bernard Goff. Thanks for posting his cemetery information. And thanks for what you are doing for the North Carolina Highway Patrol veterans.
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